RMK and Elering OÜ concluded a contract to expand and maintain the protected zones of overhead lines 20.11

On 20 November, StateForest
Management Centre (Riigimetsa Majandamise Keskus, RMK) and Elering OÜ signed a
contract to expand and maintain the protected zones of overhead lines, and to
cut hazardous trees. Cutting is required to avoid malfunctions of overhead
lines and resulting supply interruptions.

The contract, signed by Tavo Uuetalu and
Tiit Timberg, Members of the RMK Management Board, and Lembit Vali, Chairman,
and Peep Soone, Member of the Elering OÜ Management Board, was concluded for
five years. Under the contract, RMK will arrange for the cutting of the forest
and scrub growing in the protected zones of overhead lines within sections of
the lines passing through the state forest.

“RMK has plenty of skilled and experienced contractors
to perform cutting in the protected zones of overhead lines. Considering how
many electric lines pass through the state forest, this is significant
additional work creating also opportunities for additional employment,” Tavo
Uuetalu, Member of the RMK Management Board explained.

“In
recent years, one of the priorities for Elering OÜ has been to expand line
passages within the protected zone in order to avoid the falling of trees on
lines during autumn storms. In addition to ensuring power supply, the
electrical safety dimension is important, too, with the width of the protected
zones established under the Electrical Safety Act,” Lembit
Vali, Member of the Elering OÜ Management Board commented for his part.

The contract defines the parties’
representatives to organise the cooperation, the principles for the submission
and execution of a commission, and the rates for the performance of the work.
The newly concluded contract is the third in succession. Under the previous
year-long contracts, approximately 40,000 cubic metres of standing timber has
been cut by RMK.

The total length of the overhead lines of Elering
OÜ is approximately 5,200 kilometres. RMK estimates the length of the line
routes of 110 kV voltage electricity lines passing through state forest at 400
kilometres and the length of the line routes of 220−330 kV voltage electricity
lines at 285 kilometres. The cutting requirement on standing timber in the line
passages passing through the state forest is estimated at 200,000 cubic metres.

RMK is a profit-making state agency
established under the Forestry Act, aimed at sustainable and efficient
management of the state forest. RMK grows reforestation materials, organises
forestry works, is engaged in the sale of forest and timber and organises game
upkeep. In addition, RMK establishes opportunities for hiking in nature and
forest recreation on recreational areas, and shapes awareness of nature. RMK
manages 38% of Estonia’s
forests.

Elering OÜ
is an Estonian transmission system operator, uniting Estonia’s biggest power stations,
distribution networks and corporate consumers in an integral energy system. Via
Elering OÜ’s electrical power system, Estonia’s electrical power system
is linked with the power systems of the neighbouring countries. The power
system control centre that is part of Elering OÜ manages the power system
across Estonia
in real time to ensure its continual quality functioning.